Development in the pipes for Eastern Creek Raceway

[whiteballz]

Sydney could be in line to host Australia's first permanent motor racing 'supercircuit' equal to the world's best, according to plans released today.

A $350,000 feasibility study commissioned by the Australian Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) has outlined opportunities to use Eastern Creek International Raceway as the basis of the world-class development.

The plan includes three interlinked tracks offering six permutations, of which three can be used simultaneously.

The track developments also allow for year-round use of the complex for road safety training, as well as providing convention facilities, music arenas and a purpose-built 'youth entertainment' bowl.

The ARDC and designer, UK-based Apex Circuit Design, presented the plan this week to the NSW state government, owners of the Eastern Creek Raceway complex.

According to Apex the new facility could be built within two years using more than 70 per cent of the existing Eastern Creek circuit as its base.

The existing infrastructure would enable the supercircuit to be built for approximately one-third of the cost of a greenfields site.

Initial estimates for the cost of track development are $93 million, with graded implementation to suit budget requirements.

The ARDC, which leases Eastern Creek Raceway from the NSW state government, will commission financial modelling to determine payback timelines and sources of funding.

"Sydney needs increased motorsport facilities and permanent closed-road training capacity," ARDC president John Cotter said.

"The impending closure of Oran Park and the fact that Eastern Creek is already fully utilised demands action," he said.

"The Apex report does more than meet the immediate need.

"It maps a blueprint for a strategy which could contribute substantially to tourism and further global recognition of Sydney.

"The plan confirms the ARDC's proposition that an investment in an appropriate permanent facility is far more advantageous than investment in a non-permanent street circuit."

The Apex plan lengthens the Eastern Creek International Raceway circuit by more than 800 metres to 4.7km.

It also allows for a 3km national track, a 1.7km club circuit, a corporate track and a drift bowl to be built in a special stadium section of the complex.

Apex calls for the current direction of racing to be reversed to clockwise to create a spectacular high delta (heavy braking) corner at Turn One within the stadium section.

The proposed international track has four extra corners and more than double the potential passing areas of the circuit it would replace.

Equal attention has been given to the needs of cars and motorcycles to provide the ARDC with the best opportunity of attracting major international events.

Apex has had its plans approved in principle by the global circuit inspector for the FIA (cars) and believes the motorcycle equivalent (FIM) would also comply.

The proposed track would qualify for use by all motor racing disciplines up to Formula One.

"The circuit would be one of the most exciting and demanding in this country, and the equal of many internationally," Apex managing director Clive Bowen said.

"It has been designed to challenge the most accomplished driver, yet also appeal to corporate users."

Major attention has been given to providing maximum viewing opportunity for spectators, and optimum recognition of the unique Australian personality of the circuit for global television audiences.

"It's fair to say that many tracks, whether they are non-permanent street circuits or recently developed permanent facilities, lack a national character," Mr Bowen said.

"Eastern Creek is uniquely Australian - with eucalyptus trees and a panoramic view of the Blue Mountains."

Apex has paid specific attention to community needs, particularly those of young people.

"The emergence of drift racing has huge youth appeal and Eastern Creek has the ability to incorporate a purpose-built track where young people can compete under supervision in safety," Mr Bowen said.

"The concept is that Eastern Creek would become, in part, a club facility for teenagers and young adults."

Eastern Creek was built in 1990 to bring the world championship MotoGP to NSW, and it has subsequently hosted rounds of international motor racing and motorcycle series.

The 90-hectare site has operated profitably in recent years under ARDC control.

Four-time Australian touring car champion Allan Moffat has endorsed plans to upgrade Eastern Creek International Raceway to world's best practice standards.

Moffat, a member of the board of the Australian Racing Drivers Club, was present at the presentation of plans to the NSW state government this week.

"Apex Circuit Design has done an excellent job of making a new international circuit work within existing boundaries," Moffat said.

"Reversing the direction of racing will extract the best excitement from the track and challenge competitors with a braking and passing area at the end of a long straight," he said.

"The Apex plan provides far more overtaking opportunities and many more places to trap an unwary or overcommitted driver or rider.

"It will be extremely challenging for competitors and exciting for spectators.

"Most importantly, the plan makes the best use of Eastern Creek's natural topography to provide spectacular viewing opportunities."

The Apex plan includes an architect's impression of an 'iconic' spectator dome on Corporate Hill.

According to Apex managing director Clive Bowen the dome could quickly become an internationally recognised symbol of the Australian circuit.

Apex has also designed a natural stadium section rimming the first two corners with grandstands to enable spectators exciting viewing of the track's most spectacular passing point.

Allan Moffat described the Eastern Creek master plan as "excellent value for money".

"Eastern Creek is unusual because it is so close to a major central business district and yet unaffected by urban development," he said.

"The ability to build a new motorsport and road safety complex from the ground up in such a location would be envied by many countries.

"To be able to do so by improving an existing facility in a comparatively cost-efficient manner is a great opportunity."

Apex Circuit Design is an internationally recognised race circuit design facility and motorsport consultancy, initially established in 2001.

The primary business of Apex is the design of FIA, FIM and CIK-approved racing facilities, working in association with world-class architects and civil engineering consultants to create commercially viable motorsport destinations.

For the Eastern Creek Masterplan project Apex teamed up with the world-renowned multi-disciplinary practice of Ridge and Partners for architecture, planning, cost consultancy and project management. Scott Wilson also joined the team for engineering and drainage design.

Apex provides a bespoke service to its clients whereby the process of design is integrated with the master-planning process and commercial feasibility analysis for the whole client site, working in conjunction with the client's commercial decision-makers and consultants on the project to maximise revenue opportunities and yield.

Apex also provides its clients with a post-design, pre-operational consultancy service for new motorsport circuit facilities to ensure the preparation of the circuit, capital plant, personnel and equipment meets the needs of an operator once the circuit is fully commissioned.

About Clive Bowen, managing director of Apex Circuit Design Ltd
Clive Bowen (45), the founding director of Apex Circuit Design Ltd, is a qualified graduate Mechanical Engineer.

He has 22 years' experience in design and build of international turnkey civil/mechanical engineering projects. He provides his clients with the direct link through personal contacts within FIA/FIM/FOM/CIK that will ensure the design and final operating circuit will meet stringent regulatory requirements.

Motorsport projects (as circuit designer) include: the Dubai Autodrome (UAE); Eurasia Autodrome Domodedovo (Moscow); the Iceland MotoPark (Iceland); the Ghazala Bay circuit (Egypt); the Hampton Downs Circuit (New Zealand); the Abu Dhabi ADISC motorsport complex (UAE); and the Sharjah street circuit (UAE). In addition, he has been contracted to provide masterplan design for Silverstone (UK) and the Rio Jacarepagua Circuit (Brazil).

Following graduation in 1986 he undertook graduate training with Rolls-Royce Plc and subsequently spent fourteen years working in international commercial design, manufacturing, construction and project management.

From 2000 to 2006 he was a member of the management team at West Surrey Racing Ltd and was responsible for new business development. During this time he managed all commercial and engineering activities for WSR, including the design and build project management of race cars and the operation of a satellite Independent British Touring Car (BTCC) race team.

Clive is a keen sportsman who, in addition to competing for Great Britain at world championship-level yachting, includes amateur motorsport among his pastimes. He raced karts at British national level from 1994 to 96 and he subsequently owned and ran a private Formula Ford team between 1995 and 97.

Thoughts?

[LeonOfTheDead]

my thought: there is no circuit like a twisty road. and that's the only reason why the nurburgring it's a so renowned circuit. it's basicly a mountain road. all the new tracks built in last years could have some nice corners but none of them has the thrill of the old ones. if they understand this little point of view of mine, they will have my vote, and probably a lot of success. imHo.
now let me go to sleep, it's 2:30 am here damn if it's late!

[clutch-monkey]

this will be awesome, as you're down the road from it.
and they already only have industrial estate around it so no complaints from dead shits who move in then complain about noise (looking at you, Lakeside)

[Blue Supra]

^^^ looking at you NORTH CANBERRA!

anyways, im only going to say one thing on the subject

DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT

[clutch-monkey]

Originally Posted by Blue Supra

DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT

do it or all your lives are forfeit

[pimento]

Agreed... this could be brilliant... nay... must be brilliant. Especially if they have something set up to get the yoofs into racing there rather than being dicks on public roads. The world needs more trackdays.

[whiteballz]

western sydney needs less yoofs. I'm not one - lets make that clear - my car doesnt run.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Seriously.

[2ndclasscitizen]

It's gonna be an awesome run through the new turn 1 on to the straight now, so much speed, and if they flatten the hill out a bit, big top speeds as well.. And the new first turn will be massive test of sack.

[fpv_gtho]

They probably couldve gotten away with simply reversing the direction, modifying run-offs to suit and resurface the track. The new layout has its good and bad points. It looks like it could be a bit stale for a while with the fussy infield section, although i rather fancy the club circuit.

Heres a pic for those who havent seen yet.

[whiteballz]

should be saweeeeeeet for drifting too.

[Blue Supra]

That looks epic win

[fpv_gtho]

The drift circuit might make or break depending on how they go about turning the new turn 1-2 into a stadium type section.

As much as i'd like to see Eastern Creek updated, it would still be terrible for F1. As tight as the first and last corners have now become, with how relatively short the straight is its still not enough and F1 would barely be topping 300km/h before braking IMO. It'd just be like another Hungaroring unless they added a few hundred metres more length to the straight.

[SlickHolden]

I would have loved to see turn 1 widened, A little like the chase at Bathurst, Get them going flat stick into T2.
It's one of the best corners to view on TV.

[clutch-monkey]

what are those two connecting bits at the start of the straight for? one would have been enough?